Money Issues Are Heart Issues

Apr 4, 2025

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“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” — Matthew 6:21

When Jesus said those words, He wasn’t just giving us a lesson on giving or saving. He was getting to the root of something much deeper: our hearts.

At Faith & Finance, we often say that money touches every part of life, but the most important part is our spiritual life. Our financial decisions, priorities, and fears don’t just reflect our budgets—they reflect our beliefs, values, and, ultimately, our worship.

Let’s explore how our money issues are really heart issues—and what that means for how we live and give.

More Than Just a Tool

Many people see money as a neutral resource—a tool to earn, spend, save, or give. But Scripture reveals that money has much more influence than we realize. It can:

Shape our desires
Test our trust
Reveal what we truly worship

That’s why issues like debt, greed, anxiety, or even generosity aren’t primarily financial—they’re spiritual. When we overspend to maintain a lifestyle, is it because our identity is tied to our possessions? When we obsess over savings or investments, is it because we trust our bank account more than we trust God? When we hesitate to give, are we being ruled by fear of not having enough?

In this way, money becomes a spiritual thermometer—measuring our faith and showing us where our hearts truly rest.

The Rich Young Ruler: A Heart Exposed

One of the clearest biblical examples of this dynamic is the story of the rich young ruler in Mark 10:17–22. Eager to inherit eternal life, this man claimed to have kept all the commandments. But Jesus knew his heart.

“Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” — Mark 10:21

The man walked away, sorrowful. His wealth had a stronger grip on his heart than his desire to follow Jesus. His struggle wasn’t with budgeting—it was with idolatry.

As John Calvin famously said, “The human heart is an idol factory.” We all have things we cling to—things we’re tempted to trust more than God. The rich young ruler’s story invites us to ask: What would make us walk away from Jesus?

If the answer is money, then our issue isn’t financial—it’s spiritual.

When Money Reveals Fear, Not Just Greed

Of course, not everyone struggles with greed. Some struggle with fear. Jesus spoke to this often.

In Matthew 6:25–34, Jesus tells us not to worry about food, drink, or clothing. If God cares for the birds of the air and the flowers of the field, how much more will He care for His children?

Financial anxiety reveals something crucial: a lack of trust in God’s provision. When we believe our well-being depends entirely on our ability to earn, save, or invest, we carry a weight God never intended us to bear.

This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t plan wisely—but it does mean that financial stress often signals a deeper spiritual need to trust God’s character and promises.

Generosity: A Window Into the Soul

If money is a heart issue, then our generosity—or lack of it—speaks volumes.

The early church in Acts was known for radical generosity. Believers sold possessions and shared what they had to meet each other’s needs. Why? Because the gospel had transformed their hearts. Their giving flowed not from guilt but from grace.

C.S. Lewis once wrote,

“Every faculty you have…is given you by God. If you devoted every moment of your whole life exclusively to His service, you could not give Him anything that was not in a sense His own already.”

True generosity doesn’t come from obligation—it comes from a heart that knows everything belongs to God.

So ask yourself: Do I see money as mine to control or God’s to steward? Do I give joyfully—or do I give reluctantly, out of fear?

Transforming Our Financial Hearts

Since money problems are ultimately heart problems, the solution goes beyond budgeting tools and interest rates (as helpful as those are). What we need most is heart transformation.

Here are four truths to guide your financial discipleship:

1. Recognize That Money Is a Test of Trust

Do you really believe God will provide? If not, fear will drive your financial choices more than faith.

2. Practice Gratitude

Discontentment fuels anxiety, but gratitude shifts our focus to what God has already given.

3. Give Generously

Giving breaks the power of money over your heart. It’s a spiritual exercise that redirects your trust toward God.

4. Seek First the Kingdom

Jesus promised that if we seek God’s kingdom first, all these things—our needs—will be provided (Matthew 6:33). Prioritize Him, and let peace replace worry.

What Do You Treasure Most?

In the end, how we handle money reveals what we treasure. May we be people who treasure Christ above all—because only then will our hearts be truly free.

Let’s make sure our treasure—and our trust—are in the right place.

On Today’s Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:

I retired in 2021 with a good income and 401(k), but now I've depleted my debt, and I'm struggling to pay bills. Am I required to pay tithes out of my Social Security income?
Our church has outgrown its old, falling-apart building. We need about a million dollars to build a new one. What would be the best financial institution for us to use?
I was given $2,000 for my daughter, who is a part-time student. How can I invest this money so it grows? Also, what do you think about Quicken Will? Is it a good app for creating a will, trust, or power of attorney?
How can I verify or investigate an investment opportunity where I would invest $10,000 and supposedly get 250% back?

Resources Mentioned:

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